Similarities Between The Wanderer and Beowulf
Similarities of The Wanderer and Beowulf
These two stories are of warriors who find their own paths in life. In Beowulf, he experiences the ups of war, and the Wanderer experiences the downs. The theme of these two poems are closely related that it would make sense that the authors could have known each other’s stories and were writing them to have similar structure and purpose. The three major comparisons that I mostly captured from both poems are exile, abandoned mead-halls, and the ending of both stories. The Wanderer is an exiled warrior, and all the descendants of Cain in Beowulf were exile as well. In both stories, they describe how hard it is to be exile from everyone. How they just wanted God’s mercy. The role of Christianity comes to play in both stories. However, Beowulf is not strictly Christian like The Wanderer. The Wanderer contains multiple parts that are Pagan as well.
At the end of both stories, there is a feeling of uncertainness of the future. In Beowulf, there is uncertainty of what is to happen to Beowulf’s people now that he has passed on. The author gives a sort of premonition of war to be for the Goatish people with the Swedes. In the Wanderer, the earth-walker gives a sense of an ending for his
life. He talks about the end of humanity and then goes on to describe what sounds like last words of wisdom. There is also a sense of unknowing at the end of this story.
Other similarities I found were both the Wanderer and Beowulf lose, through death, the kings they loved. Both the Wanderer and Beowulf have spent much time at sea, although this seems to be especially the case with the Wanderer. Both the Wanderer and Beowulf are familiar with loss and mutability. Both the Wanderer and Beowulf know the importance of being wise.
I also noticed one of the major symbols that occur often in these two stories is the reference to winter. Generally, the winter months are desolate, cold and most of the nature is
These two stories are of warriors who find their own paths in life. In Beowulf, he experiences the ups of war, and the Wanderer experiences the downs. The theme of these two poems are closely related that it would make sense that the authors could have known each other’s stories and were writing them to have similar structure and purpose. The three major comparisons that I mostly captured from both poems are exile, abandoned mead-halls, and the ending of both stories. The Wanderer is an exiled warrior, and all the descendants of Cain in Beowulf were exile as well. In both stories, they describe how hard it is to be exile from everyone. How they just wanted God’s mercy. The role of Christianity comes to play in both stories. However, Beowulf is not strictly Christian like The Wanderer. The Wanderer contains multiple parts that are Pagan as well.
At the end of both stories, there is a feeling of uncertainness of the future. In Beowulf, there is uncertainty of what is to happen to Beowulf’s people now that he has passed on. The author gives a sort of premonition of war to be for the Goatish people with the Swedes. In the Wanderer, the earth-walker gives a sense of an ending for his
life. He talks about the end of humanity and then goes on to describe what sounds like last words of wisdom. There is also a sense of unknowing at the end of this story.
Other similarities I found were both the Wanderer and Beowulf lose, through death, the kings they loved. Both the Wanderer and Beowulf have spent much time at sea, although this seems to be especially the case with the Wanderer. Both the Wanderer and Beowulf are familiar with loss and mutability. Both the Wanderer and Beowulf know the importance of being wise.
I also noticed one of the major symbols that occur often in these two stories is the reference to winter. Generally, the winter months are desolate, cold and most of the nature is